Jamón Jamón (1992)
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64% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
63% of users liked it
(5,820 ratings)
Class, sex, and food are the obsessions of this Spanish comedy drama, an international hit from writer and director J.J. Bigas Luna that plays like a cross between the lusty Like Water for Chocolate (1992) and the early work of Pedro Almodovar. In a small town in Spain's arid Monegros region,… More Class, sex, and food are the obsessions of this Spanish comedy drama, an international hit from writer and director J.J. Bigas Luna that plays like a cross between the lusty Like Water for Chocolate (1992) and the early work of Pedro Almodovar. In a small town in Spain's arid Monegros region, young underwear factory executive Jose Luis (Jordi Molla) falls in love with the beautiful Silvia (Penelope Cruz), a worker on the shop floor. When Silvia becomes pregnant, Jose Luis wants to marry her, but his mother Conchita (Stefania Sandrelli), the factory owner, is appalled by the thought of her son marrying a working-class girl, especially one who is the daughter of a prostitute, Carmen (Anna Galiena). So Conchita hatches a scheme to woo Silvia away from her son by hiring handsome model Raul (Javier Bardem) to seduce the girl. A ham factory employee with aspirations to become a bullfighter, Raul's charms work their magic on both Silvia and Conchita, much to the dismay of Jose Luis, who seeks comfort in the arms of his sometime lover, Carmen. Jamon Jamon (1992) was the winner of a Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Bigas Luna
- Written By
- Cuca Canals, Bigas Luna
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1991 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
The sex scenes are so bizarre as to be parodic and it all looks terribly ugly. But wonderful vignettes of rural life, and a terrific performance from Pablito the piglet. Ham indeed.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
"Jamon Jamon" is not quite pop art, and it's not surprising or witty enough to work as satire. It's on a wavelength not easy to tune in.
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James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Although possessing a biting wit and excellent sense of the offbeat, too much of Jamon, Jamon follows obvious paths.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
A movie that combines lurid melodrama with vast improbabilities, sexy soap opera with heartfelt romance, and cheerful satire with heedless raunch.
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Rita Kempley, Washington Post
A coarse muddle of melodrama, romance and cautionary tale, the film is chiefly a tribute to throbbing Latin manhood, as cretinous and sophomoric as it is pretentiously surreal.
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Cast
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Stefania Sandrelli
as Conchita
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Anna Galiena
as Carmen
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Penelope Cruz
as Silvia
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Javier Bardem
as Raul
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Juan Diego
as Manuel
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Jordi Molla
as Jose Luis
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Chema Mazo
as Silvia's father
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Isabel de Castro
as Silvia's Sister
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Miguel Garcia
as Friend at Disco